We're an independent, student-run newsroom.

The Daily Californian covers the city of Berkeley and the campus in unparalleled detail, all while training the future of the journalism industry.
Consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the face of Berkeley.

Ways to use your childhood toys now that you’re a college student

We’ve been wandering the halls of the vaunted UC Berkeley for a while now. While we’ve learned a great deal in our classes, one burning question remains: Is the average college student now nominally an adult or still just a giant kid? There are good odds that you brought over a few remnants of your childhood, whether it be out of nostalgia or just stubborn refusal to throw anything away. It’s important to be able to get some utility out of these items — otherwise, it’s just additional junk you have sitting around in your living space. Here are some ways we at the Clog are using our childhood toys in our supposedly adult lives.

Plushies for emotional support

We all have our off days; there’s nothing better in those times than having a stuffed animal to hold onto after a particularly rough Monday. Though people might stare at you for holding a toy ostensibly for children, having a huggable corgi or pony does wonders for your mental health.

Crocodile Dentist as a drinking game

Games that are designated for children often have the fundamental flaw of having a very low factor of skill involved, resulting in a large amount of randomness and variability. While this might be an issue when you want some real competition (which is why we have board games), this is great news when crafting a drinking game. We like to use Crocodile Dentist and take turns tapping on the teeth — anyone who gets bitten takes a shot!

Rubik’s Cube as a reminder that you’re a nerd

Your hands might not be as flexible as they were when you first picked it up, and you might not be able to come close to your personal record. You might not even remember how to solve it in its entirety, but the Rubik’s Cube is a status symbol proclaiming that at some point in your life, you were that hardcore nerd. Nothing can take that away from you.

Hot Wheels as paperweights

If you were to actually play with your Hot Wheels now, your roommates would inevitably judge you. But you can have them right in front of you on your desk while you work if you use your beloved, bright race cars as paperweights to hold down your tests the same way they hold down your grades. No one will question if you’re casually adjusting and cleaning up your desk, maybe making some “VROOM VROOM” noises while you’re at it.

Butterfly knife to just plain show off

While the actual knives are illegal, blunt butterfly knives honestly don’t accomplish much besides showing off your manual dexterity to your middle school friends. But even now, the cool factor counts for something — it’s a more impressive way to show off your mechanics than whatever people do with video games these days.

In addition to the sheer nostalgia factor, the remnants of our childhoods can also just be downright fun to go back to every once in a while. Plus, now you have some things to use them for as well!

About this blog

The Daily Clog (Cal+Blog) accumulates various tidbits about Berkeley and college life. We focus on the UC campus, the city of Berkeley and Berkeley’s online community. We give our two cents on all the goings-on.